Monday, 24 June 2013

Fighting the Haze

Only
rain can help Singapore now

Fire hazard: An
aerial photo shows forest fires in Riau on Thursday. The US National
Ocean and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) satellite has detected 148
fires throughout the province (Antara/Virna Puspa Setyorini)As haze from forest fires in Sumatra wreaked havoc on the prosperous
city-state of Singapore, Indonesian government has suggested an imminent
downpour as the only way to bring an end to the crisis.Forestry
Ministry general secretary Hadi Daryanto said on Thursday that
Indonesia could not guarantee that necessary measures taken to combat
the fires would be effective without a miracle in the form of a heavy
downpour.Hadi quoted a forecast from the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), which predicted a downpour on June 28.

Filipinos in Singapore complain about the haze, many fleeing back to Philippines

Inquirer.net, 23 Jun 2013

MANILA, Philippines—For one Filipino, living amid the haze that has
blanketed Singapore for several days now is like standing beside a
barbecue grill all day. Only the smoke is everywhere, does not smell as
good, and there is virtually nowhere to go. Living in
the city-state for five years now, the Filipino said she heard of two
friends who decided to return to the Philippines for the meantime as
“they can’t take it anymore.” “You can smell it more now. Parang yun siga sa umaga (It’s like a
bonfire in the morning). But here it’s all over the country. Amoy siga
ang buong Singapore (All of Singapore smells like a bonfire),” she said.read morePinoys complaining of difficulty in breathing in smog-covered Singapore

As Singapore continues to be enveloped by smog from slash-and-burn
activities in Indonesia, Filipinos in the city-state have been
complaining of difficulty in breathing.Through GMA's
citizen journalism arm YouScoop, Lovely Diana Reynante, a Filipina
residing in Pasir Ris in Singapore, shared a video showing the fog
brought about by smoke blown from Indonesian illegal forest fires to
clear out land in Sumatra island.The Philippine Embassy in Singapore has urged Filipinos to stay indoors
to protect themselves from the dangerous haze that blanketed the
city-state. In an advisory posted on its website, the
embassy said Filipinos should close their doors and windows and clean
their air conditioning filtering system to clear their house of the
smog.read more

Singapore haze choking Filipinos, too

In this combination photo, Singapore’s Central Business District, or
CBD, is seen on Thursday with unhealthy levels of haze, top, and at
hazardous levels where the CBD is no longer visible on Friday, bottom.For one Filipino, living amid the haze that has blanketed Singapore
for several days now is like standing beside a barbecue grill all day.
Only the smoke is everywhere, does not smell as good, and there is
virtually nowhere to go“This haze is really extreme. I never imagined I would experience
this. It’s like a movie, an end-of-the world feeling. You have nowhere
to go and you feel like you’re suffocating but you can’t do anything,”
said the Filipino, a software consultant who asked not to be named to
protect her employmentLiving in the city-state for five years now, the Filipino said
she heard of two friends who decided to return to the Philippines for
the meantime as “they can’t take it anymore.”
read more

Sumatra hotspots double to 118 on Saturday

Thick smoke from raging forest fires rise in Pelalawan regency in Riau province in Sumatra on June 21, 2013The number of hot spots detected in Sumatra via satellite NOAA-18 on Saturday rose almost two fold to 118 from 64 on Friday.According
to a statement from the Department of Environment (DOE), the Asean
Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) in Singapore reported that the
haze was becoming thicker from fires in Riau Province, Sumatera Tengah,
Indonesia.It said winds blowing from the southwest had carried
haze from Riau to the central and southern part of the west coast of
Peninsular Malaysia.read more

Not Being Hazy About Haze
Singapore is facing a multi-dimensional crisis due to the haze. The
crisis has an environmental origin but it is manifesting itself upon
several planes – health is the most obvious. However, given the acute
and protracted nature of the phenomenon we will soon see the effects on
social, economic and political dimensions as well.How will we, as a
nation, cope with the haze? What needs to be done? First, the nature of the challenge must be recognised by the
political, corporate and social leaders. The haze poses structural and
persistent risks to Singaporeans and the Singaporean economy. It is
likely to disrupt to economic, educational and social routines and for a
protracted period of time, measured in months not weeks or days.Second, the government must recognise that its responsibility is
first and foremost to the well-being of its people and not the important
but ultimately secondary consideration of maintaining good
international relations. If required, we can afford to tear and repair
the bilateral relationship with Indonesia but what we cannot expect is
to tear and repair the relationship of trust between our leaders and
Singaporeans. That has much more divisive and insidious consequences.
Singapore has to get tough with Indonesia to ensure that the effective
action is taken at the origin of the problem. What good is a long
working relationship if it is of little help when we need it most?
Financial sanctions and diplomatic action at international forums such
as the ASEAN and the United Nations should be considered should our
entreaties to the Indonesian government be met with further
recalcitrance or petulance as evident by comments by certain Indonesian
politicians.read moreUse the law to fight the haze

IT'S
become an almost annual ritual for Singaporeans during the South-West
Monsoon season: the haze is back.Effortlessly
but sadly, I have built my own Pollutant Standards Index meter. I
look out my NUS office window. When I cannot see the Pasir Panjang
port cranes, just over 1,000m away, I know that the PSI exceeds 200.How
to solve this vexing issue? Environment
Minister Vivian Balakrishnan has suggested that consumers bring
pressure on agricultural producers through "name and shame".
The idea is good but the challenge is: How would we know who is
burning the peat lands in Sumatra?

Singaporeans Slam Leaders for Not Ordering Work Halt Amid SmogSmog conditions in Singapore have
worsened to unprecedented levels, but a legion of workers in the island
state have visibly kept plugging away outdoors, prompting public concern for their health and well-being.The government has so far
resisted calls to order a general halt to all outdoor work activities
even though smoke from forest fires in Indonesia has pushed Singapore’s
air quality into “very unhealthy” and “hazardous” levels for long
stretches this week. Officials said they may issue so-called “stop work”
orders if conditions worsen, but stressed that any measures would be
gradual and targeted, and would complement existing guidelines requiring
employers to look after their staff.

On Friday, as smog conditions intensified to a new record, some
citizens took to the Internet to criticize their leaders for perceived
inaction. Many posted photographs of construction sites across the
island nation that purportedly show many laborers still working
outdoors—some without masks—despite the hazardous air quality.read more

Haze 2013: What’s Happening Behind The Scenes in Singapore?Don’t be led to believe that the government’s inaction over the haze
is due simply because of their ineffectiveness. The government’s blasé
attitude towards the haze and their delayed actions is also to buy time
for the backlog of their undoings.The government has been waiting for this opportunity to come for a long time.Within days of the start of the haze, the news was put out that The
Straits Times editor was simply warned over the illegal poll that they
had conducted during the by-elections earlier this year. It took 6
months before The Straits Times was only “warned” whereas the government
had not waited a second to arrest Demon-cratic artist Leslie Chew and
filmmaker Lynn Lee.How PM Lee Should Address The Hazeread more

Why is there no existing crisis plan to manage haze crisis?

Over the past week, everyone of us in Singapore has been suffering
from the horrendous haze, the worst-ever, caused by the slash and burn
fires in Indonesia. In addition, we have been frustrated and very
disappointed by the lack of leadership shown by our government in
putting in place measures that will calm, assure and help the people who
are increasingly stressed out by the haze.There have been numerous on and offline criticisms made about the
ineptitude of our government. And lest I be accused of jumping on the
bandwagon just to take pot shots at the ministers, let me explain very
clearly what I am disappointed with and why I expect much more from
them.Companies that run a business know the necessity of crisis planning
and of having business continuity plans. Not every one does it but the
larger organisations like the MNCs would have planned for various crisis
scenarios and have appointed committees to tackle those crises should
they ever arise. This is called pro-active planning so that no one gets
caught flat-footed when trouble erupts suddenly. Damage and losses are
contained, reputations are preserved and employees, shareholders and
consumers are comforted when management show that they have a good grip
on the the crisis and are managing it well. If crisis planning is important for those running businesses, it is
even more imperative for governments that are responsible for the lives
of millions.read moreManpower Ministry criticised for not issuing stop-work orderA view of workers at a construction site near Spottiswoode
Residences on Friday 21 June morning. The PSI hit 401 on Friday (Photo:
inSing)At 1pm on Thursday, 20 June, the Pollutants Standard Index (PSI) hit a
record-high of 371 in Singapore. PSI levels 300 and above are
considered hazardous. PSI stayed high throughout the day, ranging between the “very unhealthy” and “hazardous” levels.As reported by The Online Citizen
and others, construction workers around Singapore continued to be
deployed to work at construction sites, even as the hazy conditions
persistedThis prompted many members of the public to urge the Government to
issue a stop-work order for these workers, to protect them from the
harmful effects of the pollution.

The government can do no right, it seemsThe Internet is such a confusing and
overwhelming platform at the moment (and I recognise the irony of
penning this piece). Most are dismayed by the lack of decisive
leadership, but I think the government has – finally – recognised the
severity of this haze crisis. Many refuse to trust it, but do its job,
it will. To contend that the agencies and their employees are
lackadaisical, apathetic, or resting pedantically on their laurels would
be grossly unfair. If you compare the actions taken by the military and
the civil authorities, it boils down to the lack of contingency
preparations and experienceWho could have anticipated the severity
of this phenomenon? We say “yes we should have seen this coming”, “we’ve
been plagued by the haze since forever”, “the government should have
engaged in more diplomatic overtures”, but hindsight’s 20/20.Not that we should expect nothing, but
the government can’t do everything. Some say a Stop Work Order should be
issued, but what will the implications be? Or should the Ministry of
Manpower (MOM) determine the outdoor industries most affected, before
crafting solutions? Why shouldn’t employers shoulder some of the
responsibilities (back to the idea that the government must do
everything and anything)? I think they do, without having to wait for
some enforcement order from MOM. Some say that we do not have the
privilege of time, but I’d rather the government evaluate all the
options in a more measured manner (which I trust it is doing), instead
of making hasty decisions or announcements that might generate more
panic and unease.read more

14
companies identified as alleged perpetrators in land and forest fires
in Riau

Environment Minister Balthasar Kambuaya said 14 companies had been
identified for alleged involvement in land and forest fires in Riau.“According
to data from our staff carrying out investigations, eight companies
were identified [for being involved in the land and forest fires]; but,
the number has now increased to 14 companies,” said Balthasar in
Pekanbaru as quoted by Antara news agency.

Following up on the
identification, the minister said a further investigation would be
carried out to disclose where the companies came from.

read moreSingapore Presses Jakarta to Rein In SmogChildren near burned land in Indonesia's Riau province, above. Singapore
is protesting the worsening smog from fires in neighboring IndonesiaSmog accumulating over Singapore from fires in Indonesia worsened
again on Thursday, prompting concern about widening economic and
diplomatic fallout, amid government warnings the haze could cover the
small, island country for an extended period.With public anger rising, Singapore pressed its neighbor for urgent
action against the purposely kindled forest fires that have billowed
into one of Southeast Asia's worst air-pollution crises.On Thursday, Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong warned the haze could smother the country for weeks, or even months, due to persistent dry weather and unfavorable winds.

Not only has the government’s response to this week’s haze problem
been one of weak-kneed impotency, the absence of any effective solution
shows how little has been done to prepare for what has, over the last
two decades, become an annually recurring problem.We knew as far back as middle last year that the El Nino weather
pattern was returning for 2013. We knew it would mean a hotter, dryer
year than normal, so not only would haze be a virtually certain problem,
it may turn out to be prolonged and more intense. And yet, when it hit,
it looked as if the authorities were caught by surprise.Falsetto yelps came out from ministers’ mouths, telling citizens they
were going to Jakarta to supplicate some action on the Indonesian
government’s part. So far, all we’ve gotten are photo calls and excuses
why nothing much can be done. “Only rain can help Singapore now”
says a headline in the Jakarta Post, 20 June 2013. It quoted
Indonesian Forestry Ministry general secretary Hadi Daryanto saying that
Indonesia could not guarantee that measures taken to combat the fires
would be effective “without a miracle in the form of a heavy downpour.”read more

Singapore
offers RI help to put out Riau fires

The Indonesian Embassy in Singapore says that the Singaporean government
has offered the Indonesian government assistance to extinguish the
peatland
fires in Riau province.The peatland fires in Pelintung and Sepahat, which started last week,
have engulfed around 850 hectares, 460 hectares of which have been
successfully put out.

“Singapore’s minister for the environment and water resources has offered us a hand to put out the fires in
Riau,” the spokesman of the Indonesian Embassy, Simon, said as quoted by Antara news agency on Thursday.

The recent flare-up of the Indonesian forest fire problem and the
deterioration in our air quality is understandably also causing
temperatures to rise in Singapore. Our neighbor Malaysia is also equally
if not more severely affected. This happens year after year causing
severe respiratory problems for those afflicted with asthma, forcing
schools to cancel outdoor activities and keeping people inside. Yet what
is notable is that our government seems unable to come up with any
solutions despite the fact that this has been going on since 1997. In
particular they do not seem capable of applying some simple lessons from
economics.Economics teaches us that pollution is an example of a negative
externality. A negative externality occurs when a third party has to
bear the costs or negative impact of the production of another party.
An example within Singapore would be congestion on the roads. As the
roads become congested due to the increasing number of private cars,
public transport users and non-car owners have to bear the negative
costs in terms of longer and slower journeys, pollution, noise and
congestion.A positive externality is when the third party benefits from the
action or production of others. Those who choose to forgo the comfort of
a car are benefiting others. Growing plants for our own pleasure or
use on our balconies ( so long as we guard against mosquitoes) actually
benefits the whole environment not just us. A government that invests in
education produces a host of positive externalities.read more

With PSI crossing the 400 mark, we should stand united against the problemThe PSI has crossed the 400 level this afternoon. With atmospheric
pollution well into the “hazardous” range, urgent action needs to be
taken to address the crisis. As a nation and as a people, we must stand
united against the problem, and seek constructive solutions both to the
immediate concern of putting out the forest fires, as well as the longer
term concern of reigning in the errant companies responsible for this
depraved act against mother nature and against humanity.I back the Singapore government’s efforts to combat the haze
situation, and also urge the government to take fast, appropriate
measures to safeguard the health and well-being of all those living in
Singapore. Surgical masks must be made readily available, and given free
of charge to the poor and needy. Polyclinics and hospitals must be on
heightened alert to handle cases of respiratory distress, including
chronic conditions worsened by the haze.On a longer term perspective, the
Singapore government must work closely with our ASEAN neighbours to
bring diplomatic pressure to bear on Indonesia to reign in and punish
the recalcitrant companies that have shown a scant disregard for mother
nature and for human health.read more

Sg should just give the dirty money back to Indonesia, then we talk about the haze

The past few days have seen some angry words thrown from Indonesia to us
regarding the haze. So far, our leaders have taken the soft tone.
That's because they suddenly realise that previous harsh words against
our neighbours won't work. I mentioned that here - PM Lee's conciliatory tone on haze towards Indonesia undoes all previous chest-thumpingI have also mentioned that one of the biggest sore points Indonesia has
with us is our harbouring of corrupt ex-officials of the Suharto era,
safe from Indonesian laws, as well as their dirty money that comes along
with it. This money rightfully belongs to Indonesia. So why are we
keeping it? Sg has given loads of excuses. From that there's no extradition treaty
ratified to there's not enough evidence given by Indonesia that these
are corrupt funds. But that is a lame excuseDon't we have a policy to reject suspect
funds? Why are we keeping such billions if they are suspect in the first
place? So even if there's no extradition treaty ratified, and even if
the Indonesian govt has no legal hard evidence, the fact is that MAS has
a system that finance institutions should be prudent, when they accept
large funds. The funds are suspect, they amount to the billions, and
they are right here in Singapore. So how did that happen?read more

To stop work is also sometimes rational

As citizens we understand that the Government of Singapore probably
cannot do much about the haze. The forests are burning in Indonesia and
the Indonesian government has not even ratified ASEAN's agreement on
transboundary haze pollution. In the face of this, I appreciate that our
Prime Minister has said that he will not play megaphone diplomacy by
responding to the Indonesian Minister's uncalled for remark about
SingaporeansThe Head of NEA is in Indonesia, the Minister for Environment and Water
Resources too will be off to Indonesia soon, phone calls are going back
and forth between the Ministers of both countries, offers of help to put
out the fire have been extended, and all these to arrest the problem as
soon as possible. All these are done in the best interest of Singapore.
And I support the government's efforts at trying to curb the effects of
haze on Singapore.Why then am I angry at the same time with the Singapore government? It is because I feel frustrated and helpless.

This evening PAP Inter Ministerial committee for Haze is politicising
the distribution of 1,000,000 N95 Masks to 200,000 lower income
families. So I now know what is the cause of the shortage in the first
place! So noble, asking NSFs to distribute these Masks to RCs and RCs
give to poor familiesSo does it caused voters in Hougang, Punggol East
and Aljunied GRC to feel lousy that they voted Opposition Party instead
of PAP?My question is: Why ask RCs to distribute to lower income families? Why
not SAF setting up a distribution points at lower income estate to do
the distribution? So the RCs will have sufficient manpower to go door to
door? Or it is better to score political point by asking balls carrying
RCs to do a door to door? Will the RCs order the NSFs to do cheap labor
since field training are cancelled?read more

Thinking Out Of The Box

The fact that the Indonesians are attempting to seed the clouds to
quench the forest fires of Sumatra does not mean there are no
alternatives to addressing the remote sites of conflagration. Our
vaunted multi-talented ministers seem to be blinded by their blinkered
visions, unable to explore other fire-fighting options.The Hercules C-130 fitted with a removable water or fire retardant tank
in the cargo hold can be a powerful "fire bomber" or "water bomber". A
simple nozzle arrangement feeds straight out the open back ramp.Helicopters can drop water more precisely than fixed wing-aircraft,
limited only by how much they can carry. This Huey uses a hose to suck
water from a river, lake or other source and delivers a spectacular
splash.read moreHaze watch 2013: Role of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) in combatting the hazeThe Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) ability to see, hear, know and act upon
military situations that may threaten the Lion City can be optimised to
combat environmental calamities such as the haze.Enhanced situational awareness brought about by being able to see first,
see more, decide and act decisively can crimp forest/plantation/peat
bog fires before they flare out of control.Close and long-standing ties between the Indonesian military (TNI) and
SAF could, for instance, extend to the realm of overhead surveillance.read more

Haze issue: I was right, Indonesia gives PAPpy govt paybackIn my last post concerning the haze issue, I mentioned that Indonesia have long-time outstanding issues with Singapore – K Shame-mugam’s mind is as hazy as the air in Sinkiepore.
The PAP govt, no thanks to their arrogance and high-handedness, has
been harbouring corrupt illicit funds on our shores. The rightful owner
is Indonesia. And PAPpy govt ain’t got the slightest intention to return
a single cent to themIn addition to that, we are giving the corrupt ex-govt officials from
the Suharto era a safe haven here, safe from the arms of Indonesian
law. You see, Sinkiepore has been giving the excuse that the agreement
to have these corrupted guys extradited has not yet been ratified. As if
that gives us the right to keep the dirty funds that doesn’t belong to
usUnfortunately, the guy who really pissed off the Indonesians on the
above issue is no longer around. He is none other than BG George Yeo,
ex-Foreign Affairs Ministerread more

This haze crisis shows the weakness and unpreparedness of Singapore government

Channelnewsasia Forum, 22 Jun 2013

"If this isn't normal haze but poison gas,SG might already be a dead land.
Wind direction is predictable and poison gas is not a new chemical weapon.
Can our government learn something from this crisis?It's not funny.Very serious matter.

If this really happens,we don't even have time to call for press
conference or set up special committee.Instead,we all meet in heaven
within minutes"

Hazy days ahead – economic inconvenience, or diplomatic convenience?The haze that enveloped Singapore for the past few days and caused an
historical low in our air quality met with much anxiety from citizens.
But distressing as it might be, this latest incident of our
environmental woes with Indonesia will come to past, and is clearly not
the biggest environment issue that we have to deal with.Much has been said recently by our leaders on what can be done about
the situation. ASEAN agreements, boycotting companies, name-and-shame
efforts using satellite images – all cards are on the table, it seems,
so something should work. Or should it?What happens after a few days, weeks or even months, when PSI levels
return to normal? Do we still worry about it, or return to our daily
routines? “Business as usual” is Singapore’s trademark response to any
crisis (make no mistake, this is a crisis, seeing the number of people
walking around wearing masks), and nothing is more pressing to us than
getting things back to normal.read more

AFTER LIVING IN BEIJING, I WILL TEACH YOU HOW TO DEAL WITH THE SG HAZE

While Singapore is experiencing the
worst haze known, people who have stayed or come from Beijing probably
don’t give much attention to the temporary haze. That’s because it’s
like daily occurrence and we used purifiers at home and drink green tea
to fight cancers due to the pollution

The technical part of such air-pollution
was studied when I was in Beijing, and a way developed to deal with it
was conducted when I was in China